Letter - C22. Signatory - Anna Mae Jervis Turner. · Letter - C22. Signatory - Anna Mae Jervis...

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Letter - C22. Signatory - Anna Mae JervisTurner.

Response to Comment C22-1In the absence of the Proposed Project, the salinity of theSalton Sea is projected to continue to increase with consequentreductions in the abundance of fish and changes in theinvertebrate community at the Salton Sea. These changeswould affect biological resources of the Salton Sea asdescribed in Section 3.2 of the Draft EIR/EIS. Waterconservation and transfer under the Proposed Project wouldaccelerate the occurrence of these changes but would notresult in different effects than would ultimately occur in theabsence of the Proposed Project. Implementation of the HabitatConservation Plan component of the Proposed Project wouldavoid or mitigate the effects to biological resources of theSalton Sea that are attributable to water conservation andtransfer. See Master Response for Biology-Approach to theSalton Sea Conservation Strategy in Section 3 of this FinalEIR/EIS.

Response to Comment C22-2Comment noted.

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Letter - C23. Signatory - John M. Gaffin.

Response to Comment C23-1Please refer to the Master Response on Other-GrowthInducement Analysis in Section 3 of this Final EIR/EIS.

Response to Comment C23-2In the absence of the Proposed Project, the salinity of theSalton Sea is projected to continue to increase with consequentreductions in the abundance of fish and changes in theinvertebrate community at the Salton Sea. These changeswould affect biological resources of the Salton Sea asdescribed in Section 3.2 of the Draft EIR/EIS. Waterconservation and transfer under the Proposed Project wouldaccelerate the occurrence of these changes but would notresult in different effects than would ultimately occur in theabsence of the Proposed Project. Implementation of the HabitatConservation Plan component of the Proposed Project wouldavoid or mitigate the effects to biological resources of theSalton Sea that are attributable to water conservation andtransfer. See Master Response for Biology-Approach to theSalton Sea Conservation Strategy in Section 3 of this FinalEIR/EIS.

Response to Comment C23-3Please refer to the Master Response on Air Quality SaltonSea Air Quality Monitoring and Mitigation Plan in Section 3 ofthis Final EIR/EIS.

Response to Comment C23-4Refer to the Master Responses on Air Quality--Salton Sea AirQuality Monitoring and Mitigation Plan and Biology - Approachto Salton Sea Habitat Conservation Strategy in Section 3 of thisFinal EIR/EIS.

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Letter - C28. ReWater Systems, Inc.. Signatory -Stephen Wm. Bilson.

Response to Comment C28-1Comment noted. Please refer to the Draft EIR/EIS, Appendix D,Alternatives Analysis, Alternative 8, Maximize Local Supplies inSDCWA Service Areas and Develop 200 KAFY Desalination Facility.Alternative 8 considered the degree of conservation that was predictedto be feasible for SDCWA by the year 2020, as reported in SDCWA's2000 Urban Water Management Plan. Many of the conservationmethods suggested by the commenter are recommended by SDCWAthrough its conservation outreach programs, which are describedbelow.

Agricultural Water Management Program. The Agricultural WaterManagement Program provides free irrigation system evaluations toagricultural properties with 2 or more acres of irrigated crops or groves.The evaluator observes plant material, soil, and irrigation systems.Emission uniformity and pressure readings are taken for the irrigationsystem, and recommendations, crop data, and technical informationabout the particular type of irrigation equipment in use are all provided.

Professional Assistance for Land Management (PALM) Program.The PALM Program audits, at no cost, the irrigation system andlandscape at sites with 1 or more acres of irrigated landscape. Usingmethodology developed by the Irrigation Training and Research Centerat California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, the PALMsurveyor performs catch-can tests and numerous soil and plantobservations and calculates an irrigation schedule.

Residential Survey Program. The Residential Survey Programsurveys water conservation opportunities for target single-family homesas well as multi-family properties with fewer than 2 acres of irrigatedlandscape. SDCWA member agencies may also refer other residentialcustomers who request water conservation assistance. The customerreceives a review of indoor and outdoor water-saving opportunities anda packet of educational literature. Toilets are checked for leaks, andopportunities to retrofit with ultra-low-flush models are assessed.Customers are shown how to read their water meters. Landscape andirrigation systems are thoroughly examined, and a watering schedule iscalculated.

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Response to Comment C28-1(continued)

Commercial Industrial Institutional Voucher Program. This program provides point-of-purchase vouchers to customers replacing water-inefficient equipment in commercial,industrial, or institutional settings.

The degree of conservation expected to be achieved through these programs was incorporated into the Urban Water Management Plan.

Also, please refer to the Master Responses on Other Desalination on SDCWA Service Area and Comments Calling for Increased Conservation in Section 3 of this Final EIR/EIS.

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Letter - C28Page 5

Response to Comment C28-2Refer to Section 3.16 of the Draft EIR/EIS, which evaluates thetransboundary impacts of the Proposed Project. In addition, the effectsof the federal actions required to implement the transfer of water fromIID to SDCWA and/or MWD under the Proposed Project, assumingimplementation of the QSA (the second scenario for implementation ofthe Proposed Project), including the change in the point of delivery, areassessed in the Draft IA EIS prepared by Reclamation, which isincorporated into this Draft EIR/EIS by reference. The Draft EIR/EISrelies upon the assessment developed in the Draft IA EIS and providesan assessment of the federal actions required to implement thetransfers to SDCWA under the Proposed Project, assuming that theQSA is not implemented (the first scenario for implementation of theProposed Project).

The commenter is incorrect in stating that Reclamation decided not toinclude the full impacts of the Project to Mexico in the EIR/EIS. Thecommenter is also incorrect in stating that the Draft EIR/EIS notes thatthe USGS asked Reclamation not to disclose the full impacts of theProject to Mexicans.

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Letter - C29. Signatory - Jack Allen.

Response to Comment C29-1Comment noted.

Response to Comment C29-2Refer to the Master Responses on Air Quality−−Salton Sea Air QualityMonitoring and Mitigation Plan and Air Quality−−Health EffectsAssociated with Dust Emissions in Section 3 of this Final EIR/EIS.

Response to Comment C29-3Refer to the Master Responses on Air Quality−−Salton Sea Air QualityMonitoring and Mitigation Plan and Air Quality−−Health EffectsAssociated with Dust Emissions in Section 3 of this Final EIR/EIS.

Response to Comment C29-4In response to concerns expressed regarding growth in San Diego,please refer to the Master Response on Other-Growth InducementAnalysis in Section 3 in this Final EIR/EIS. In addition, the commentsuggests that San Diego should talk with Arizona and Nevada aboutpurchase of surplus water that those states receive from the ColoradoRiver. Even if the water were available from Nevada and Arizona, it ishighly questionable whether, under the Law of the River, SDCWA couldcontract with those states for an interstate transfer of Colorado Riverwater. In any event, Nevada and Arizona are now taking at or near theirfull entitlements. The Secretary of the Interior has recently promulgatedregulations that would allow Arizona to establish a water bankingprogram under which water could be made available to water users inNevada and California. However, under the regulations, participationwould be limited to entities that currently have water delivery contractswith the Secretary, and the amount of water that could be deliveredwould also be limited. SDCWA is not a Colorado River contractor andcould not participate. MWD is a Colorado River contractor and hasdiscussed participation in a banking program with the Arizonaauthorities. If MWD entered into such a banking program, the wateracquired would be utilized to help assure a full Colorado RiverAqueduct. It must be remembered that the IID/SDCWA Water Transferand other QSA actions will not by themselves ensure a full ColoradoRiver Aqueduct. Other programs such as an Arizona/MWD waterbanking program will also be required.